Guardian Angel
by Romantic Threads
Summary: This story starts during the first month of Will dating Nina Howard. Will is trying to move on with his life and prove to himself that he can have a future with and love someone besides MacKenzie. MacKenzie is doing her best to stay focused on being the best EP in the business, but after hearing Newsroom gossip that Will may be asking Nina to move in with him she is losing hope.
1. Chapter 1

_THESE CHARACTERS BELONG TO SORKIN._

 _This story starts during the first month of Will dating Nina Howard. Will is trying to move on with his life and prove to himself that he can have a future with and love someone besides MacKenzie. MacKenzie is doing her best to stay focused on being the best EP in the business, but after hearing Newsroom gossip that Will may be asking Nina to move in with him soon she is losing hope that Will is going to ever forgive her and give Will and Mac 2.0 a chance._

 _CHAPTER 1_

The day started like any other, Mac was the first person to arrive at the office. With coffee in hand, she began going through her overnight emails. The last email she reads was written just a few minutes ago, by one of the Marines she was embedded with in 2006. The sender is a man named Major Mike Murphy, he was the Operations Officer for 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4) an infantry unit based out of Twentynine Palms, California.

In June 2006, when MacKenzie had reached out to CNN for an overseas correspondent position she was assigned to 3/4, they deployed to Iraq in September 2006 to the Al Qaim region in the Euphrates River Valley of Iraq, in the Western Al Anbar Province. Thank God for Major Mike Murphy, he ensured that MacKenzie was provided total access to his Marines and ensured that she went out on every mission where there might be a potential story.

MacKenzie quickly realized that her security detail included some of the best Marines in the Battalion. They treated her as an equal, and courageously protected her even at the worst of times. What she had not realized at the time was Major Mike's influence as the Battalion Operations Officer. When 3/4 re-deployed she was assigned to another unit where she did not receive the same attention or security. MacKenzie continued on with her mission to deliver the news, but she learned the hard way that she no longer had the same protection and access that she enjoyed with 3/4.

Major Mike continued to stay in touch through the years. After he re-deployed with 3/4, she knew he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and a year later that he was selected to command 2d, Battalion, 5th Marines. They emailed each other at least once a month. Mike was married to the Marine Corps and as he said "she was married to the news." Mike had told her during an especially dangerous firefight, that if they both made it to their 40th birthdays and had not married another person then he was going to propose to her. At the time she blew it off as a joke, she had confided in Mike many times about her heartbreak over losing Will, and he of all people knew she was not over her first love and probably would never be.

She opened the email with her typical excitement of what news Mike had to report.

 _Mackenzie,_

 _I know this is short notice, but I will be in New York City from Thursday through Sunday of this week for a few job interviews. I would love to see you and catch up if you can fit me into your busy schedule. This will be my first visit to the Big Apple, sure would love a liberty buddy to show me the city._

 _Major Mike_

Mackenzie knew instantly that seeing Mike was exactly what she needed. A familiar face and a damn good friend. She loved her team in the Newsroom, but they were staff and she could not share things with them the way she could with Mike. During their deployment, they had confided in each other quite often. Mike enjoyed having someone that was not a Marine to vent to, and she, well, she just enjoyed having a friend that cared about her and would let her vent about her shattered love life.

It was Wednesday already and MacKenzie did not want to waste time, she quickly emailed Mike back.

 _Major Mike,_

 _I know you are a Colonel, but you will always be Major Mike to me. YES! I would love to see you this week. As you know, during the week my schedule is packed but I can meet you for lunch and or dinner on Thursday and Friday. What time does your flight arrive Thursday? Where are you staying? Saturday and Sunday I am all yours, I am delighted to be your tour guide. New York City is amazing you are going to love it._

 _MacKenzie_

The day was starting to look a whole lot better. Who knew what punishments Will would assign today, but with the hope of seeing Mike and spending some quality time with a really great friend, MacKenzie had a smile on her face and was ready to attack the day.


	2. Chapter 2

_CHAPTER 2_

With no breaking news, the morning rundown meeting was uneventful, MacKenzie returned to her office to continue planning the show for that night. There is a knock at her door, and Jim walks in.

"Got a minute?"

"For you, always. What's up?"

"I was thinking that we need to bring in some new sources from the DoD. We always use the same people, and its getting stale. Instead of retired service members who have been out of the sandbox for years, we need some fresh talent with recent experience. I have a few names in mind that I want to run by you."

"Jim, you are always reading my mind. I have been thinking the same thing for months. Who did you have in mind.?"

"Well, you can probably guess my first choice, but I have several others for you to consider as well."

"Let me guess, does Major Mike top your list?"

"Yes, but I think he tops yours as well so what do you say can we give him a shot?"

"As you know he returned from Afghanistan just a few months ago, he would be a great source. Ironically, I got an email from him this morning stating that he was coming to New York City for some job interviews this week. He wants to catch up and have me show him the city. I can ask him if he would be interested in coming on our show at some point. I am sure he would love to see you too, maybe we can all grab dinner tomorrow after the show."

"Mac, that would be great. I would love to see Mike, but I think he mostly just wants to see you."

"Jim, don't be ridiculous. He loves you too. The three of us made a great team. It's settled we will all grab dinner after the show tomorrow night."

"If you say so, but I am telling you Mike wants you all to himself. That man could not take his eyes off of you for seven months, and if you had not been heartbroken over losing Will, I am certain he would have tried to date you. Think about it, we were embedded with more units than I can count, and how many of those guys have we stayed in touch with?"

"We made a connection with Mike, that's why he stays in touch."

"You made a connection with Mike, that's why he stays in touch. He does not email me, just you, for over two years now. I am telling you Mac, he's interested, very interested. And if you gave him an ounce of encouragement he would probably drop everything to be with you. He knows you will not leave New York again. Don't you think that maybe he is doing some job interviews in New York City to gauge your interest in him and see if its worth making a career change. He has over twenty years of service, he could retire tomorrow, take a consulting job in New York, and make a very nice six figure salary."

"Jim, how long have you thought all this?"

"Mac, seeing you two together for seven months, I honestly thought it was a matter of time before you got together. You and Mike would be great together. You are both incredibly driven and positive people, and you share a lot of common interests. And unlike someone else I know, in seven months I cannot think of you and Mike having a single argument. At the time I could not figure out why Mike never made a move, it may have been that he was too professional to make a move on an embed but I think it was more that he realized how hung up you were on Will. He knew the timing was not right then, but maybe it is now."

"I'm still in love with Will, and even if he has no such feelings for me, I am not ready to let that dream go. I keep hoping that if I keep working as hard as I can for him and show him how much I still love him and want to be with him through my actions that one day he will forgive me and we will be able to try again."

"Mac, it's been over five years since you and Will broke up and you are still love sick. He on the other hand, has dated more women than I can count, and is currently planning to ask a certain gossip columnist to move in with him. You have to see that he has moved on. It's time you do the same, you deserve to be happy, and Mike is a really great guy."

"Jim, you always have to be the voice of reason. I know you are right. Mike is a great guy, and if Will is not an option Mike would be my second choice. I just don't know how to convince myself that I should settle for a man I love but am not completely in love with."

"Mac, dating Mike is not settling. If you ask me he is the better man. From everything I have observed, Mike treats you way better than Will. In fact it is not even a fair comparison to make, there is no comparison. I know Will was your first love, and maybe that's why it's so hard for you to move on, but don't lose your future because you are stuck in the past."

"Jim, how is it that you can be so insightful with my love life, and a complete idiot in your own.?"

"Probably for the same reason, you are so insightful with my love life, and a complete idiot in your own."

"Jim, thanks for the advice and support. I will think about Mike and Will, now let's get back to doing the news. Our show won't produce itself tonight."

Jim leaves Mac's officer, it's now 12:30 and time for lunch, but first Mac decides to check her emails before she heads out to meet Sloan for lunch. How is it that, being in a meeting for an hour and talking to Jim for ten minutes has resulted in her having over thirty new emails. She quickly scans through the emails, prioritizing them in her mind. Then she sees it, the response from Mike.

 _MacKenzie,_

 _Thank you for the prompt response. I arrive tomorrow at 1100, it should take me about an hour to grab my bags and take a cab into Manhattan, I can meet you for lunch at 1230. I am staying at the Navy Lodge on Staten Island, but I cannot check in until 1500. Would it be ok, if I left my bags in your office while we grab lunch?_

 _I have heard New York is second only to Paris in its charm and romantic atmosphere. I cannot wait to see you and share an amazing weekend with a great friend, it's been way too long._

 _Mike_

As Mac re-read this email several times she realized that the first paragraph was all business, but the second paragraph hinted at something more and she was not sure how to take it. She decided to play it cool.

 _Mike,_

 _See you at 1230. You can leave your bags in my office, but I have a better idea. Staten Island is a hike from Manhattan, I live in Mid-Town you are welcome to stay at my apartment this weekend. It's my parent's place, plenty of guest rooms, and I'm sure far better accommodations than the Navy Lodge. You would get to really experience what living in New York City is like. Besides the place is huge, and I could use the company._

 _Let me know what you want to do, we can stop by my place when we go out for lunch and you can drop off your bags. After lunch I have to go back to work, but you can rest up a bit at the Brownstone. I know how much you love to run; I recommend taking a run through Central Park later in the afternoon, running through Central Park is one of my favorite things to do. There is no better place to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city._

 _My show ends at 2100, but I can meet you for dinner at 2130. There is a great Italian place just a few blocks from my newsroom. I invited Jim, he's looking forward to seeing you again too. Your emails have totally made my day, have a safe flight and I will see you tomorrow._

 _MacKenzie_

With that MacKenzie grabbed her purse, and confidently strolled through the bullpen on her way to the elevators. With a smile on her face, she entered the first cabin and as she road the elevator down to the first floor she contemplated what would happen over the next several days. Maybe Jim was right, maybe she just needed to give Mike a chance, and give herself another chance at love.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

The elevator doors open on the first floor and MacKenzie steps out and begins to smartly walk towards to main entrance. She is so lost in thoughts about Mike that as she turns quickly down the hallway leading from the elevators she runs directly into Will. Up until that moment she had been so consumed by thoughts of Mike that it had not occurred to her that her anchor was missing from the morning rundown meeting.

Will quickly reaches out to catch MacKenzie from falling and blurts out:

"I'm sorry, I am running really late this morning, are you ok?

"I'm fine, I was not watching where I was going. Where were you this morning anyway?"

"Dr. Habib's, I'm having trouble sleeping and I needed him to write a prescription."

"Again?"

"Not so much as again, just a continuation. I don't know maybe it is old age, but I have not been able to sleep well in the last two years."

"Maybe if you would sleep in your own bed every night you would sleep better."

"Wow, ok, well I will have you know I sleep in my own bed almost every night."

"Yeah, I didn't ask."

"No, but you were insinuating that I sleep around."

"No insinuation needed, that's simply a fact. Every intern in the building has seen your parade of women."

"Good morning to you to MacKenzie. Why the fuck does everything become an argument with you. I cannot sleep, I feel like shit, I go to my therapist to get some help, and then you just attack me the moment you see me."

"Will, I'm sorry. That was out of line. I hope the medication Dr. Habib prescribed helps you. You are far to hansom to ruin that smile by being exhausted all the time."

"Thanks, and for the record I am sorry about all of the women. I was trying to make myself feel better, not make you feel bad. The truth is seeing all those women only made me realize what I was missing. I want intimacy with one partner, that I can share my life with, that will be my best friend. Don't worry from now on there will only be one woman that will visit me in the Newsroom."

"Well that's a relief, next time you plan to be late, please have the courtesy to let me know."

With that, MacKenzie turns on her heal and heads out the building. Will hangs his head and continues to the elevators, disgusted with himself that he was so honest with her about his issues.

—

Will arrives at his desk, sits down, and puts his head in his hands. Why can he never say the right things to her or say what he really means. It's been a month since he started dating Nina. It's nice having someone to come home to, even though she doesn't stay the night most nights, he likes the company. He knows that what he and Nina share is nothing like the chemistry that him and Mac had, but in five years Nina is the closest thing that resembles a real relationship.

So why is it that if he is happy with Nina, he cannot get Mac out of his head. Just running into her a few minutes ago had excited him. Even though it lasted just a moment, he felt her breasts press into his chest, smelled her sweet perfume, breathed in her scent as her hair brushed across his face. If he was honest it was pure ecstasy, and he wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and hold her forever. Instead he got into a stupid argument with her, that ended with him telling her that he was happily with Nina now and was moving on with his future.

The look Mac gave him, had sent chills up his spine, it was as though right then and there she was realizing that there would never be a second chance for them. How could Mac think this, when Will was not sure this is what he wanted. He had to admit he had no idea what he wanted. Well he did, he was just terrified of getting his heart shattered again. So instead, he concealed his heartache with anger, pursued a woman that was not good for him, while the woman he still loved, seemed to have completely given up on him.

In fact, come to think of it she actually seemed happy today. Surely it was not on account of him. He was surprised that she had not called him when he did not show up for the first rundown meeting of the day, and even more that when she just saw him she did not chew him out. What was it today that was making her seem so happy, as she turned to walk away from him it was like she was gliding on clouds, her head held high, a smile on her face, he could not remember that last time he had seen Mac look that way.

—

Mac arrived at the corner deli, to find that Sloan had already secured a table, and ordered them sandwiches.

"Mac, it's about time you showed up."

"Sloan, I'm sorry, thanks for getting here early to get us a table and lunch. I had hoped to get here earlier, but I literally ran into Will on my way here. We got into yet another argument, so yeah just another typical day in my pathetic life."

"Well for what it's worth, you don't look worse for the wear. In fact, you actually look almost happy, is that possible?"

"I got an email from an old friend this morning, he's coming to New York City tomorrow and we are going to spend some time together this weekend."

"Mac! What kind of friend is this? Do I know him?"

"His name is Mike, he was the Operations Officer for one of the unit's that I was embedded with, and no you do not know him."

"Is he hot? What does he look like?"

"He's beyond good looking. He has brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and a gorgeous smile. He's also a Marine Officer, and really into Cross Fit."

"So you are saying his body is slamming, and he looks nothing like Will."

"Will is gorgeous, and he may not have Mike's body but no one has ever turned me on like Will. I cannot compare them, they are very different men. Both great, but very different."

"You like this Mike don't you?"

"When I met Mike, Will and I had just split so I was in no place to date. Mike was focused on the deployment, and we just became really good friends."

"Sounds like a great way to start a relationship to me."

"We will see. He's coming to New York to interview for some consulting jobs. I am meeting him tomorrow for lunch. Want to come?"

"I would love to, shoot if you don't want him I will take him. He sounds delicious. I have always loved a man in uniform."

"Well the interrogation has been great, but its time we get back to work."

"C'mon Kenz, you know I do it because I love you."

"I know, but maybe you could love me just a little bit less."

With that they quickly finish their sandwiches. Sloan departs for an appointment across town while MacKenzie heads back to the Newsroom to finish preparing for tonight's show.

—

On her way through the AWM lounge, Mac stops to grab a coffee. While standing in line she decides on two double shot expressos, and adds a chocolate chip muffin to her order.

She enters the bullpen and goes directly to Will's office, and knocks on his door.

"I got you a a double shot of expresso and a muffin, I figured your morning started out rough enough and that you could use a little pick me up."

"Peace offering?"

"Will, look, I'm sorry for what I said earlier. You did not deserve to be attacked by me of all people. You had a shitty morning, I figured you probably had not had a chance to grab breakfast or lunch. I need my anchor ready for the show tonight and I thought you could use some coffee and a muffin to get your day going."

"Apology accepted, and thank you for the coffee and muffin, this is exactly what I needed right now."

Mac, turned and walked back to her office, feeling better about making amends with Will, at least for today. Will opened the bag to to find a chocolate chip muffin, his favorite. Sometimes he hated how well she knew him, but at moments like this he really appreciated it. Even when he was upset with her, she always seemed to find a way to make him feel better.


End file.
